New IT Will Cut Police Time At HQ

Guernsey Police aim to have a more visible presence from next month when officers start using new mobiles.

The IT upgrade will mean reports, that used to have to be done at the station in town, can be completed at the scene, freeing up time to be out in the community.

Bailiwick Law Enforcement says every team will be issued with work devices they can use remotely.

Chief Inspector Liam Johnson says it will make a tangible difference to the amount of time uniformed officers can be on the beat.

"While we do always have officers on patrol, we also know our officers also have to spend a lot of time at a computer completing reports, submitting statements and filing work.

Being able to complete all of that remotely will mean officers can do so from a vehicle immediately after a job, meaning there is less time between that job, and an officer being back on patrol.”

Processes and procedures will be updated to match the new hardware and make the most of its capabilities.

Jersey Police were able to access their IT system remotely five years ago.

The 2018 rollout cost £190,000, but was predicted to save officers up to five hours desk-time a day and save the force half a million pounds in the first year. 

These technological improvements have been long-awaited.  Police Chief Ruari Hardy wrote about them in the force's annual reports for 2021 and 2022, acknowledging that progress has been slow and the Bailiwick has been 'behind the curve'.

"The States of Guernsey employed a project manager to deliver the Frontline Improvement plan which aspires to deliver mobile data for frontline staff across the BLE, data analytics and digital evidence management and storage."  - BLE Annual Report 2021.

"Rolling out the Frontline Improvement Programme will open up mobile data - meaning our officers and staff will have the ability to access, review and share information through mobile devices when officers are away from BLE premises." - BLE Annual Report 2022.

A wider transformation project is still going on.  60 miles of new cabling has been laid at Police Headquarters and Wi-Fi has been improved across the BLE estate.  The rollout will include Microsoft 365 activated for all staff.